Chapter Six: The Face of a Fair Enemy
A sharp clacking noise reverberated through the chill winter air. The forest was only just lit by the fiery gold of the newly risen sun. Sparkling beads of dew clung to the frosted grasses.
Legolas breathed the fresh air in deeply, relishing the feel of the wood in his hand and the wind in his hair. He darted forward with a battle ready cry. His thrust was easily turned aside and he felt a sharp poke between his ribs. The young prince danced agilely out of reach, pausing for a moment to gain his breath.
"Not weary already are you?" his sparring partner challenged with a laugh. Legolas grinned and merely shook his head, lunging at Haldir again- more carefully this time.
This was a part of the familiar morning ritual the two had developed while the Lórien elves stayed at the palace. Since their afternoons were occupied by meetings or lessons, the two elves decided that the mornings would be an ideal time to either talk or, as was their custom, walk around the gardens or spar which was usually Legolas' favorite. Except for today.
In truth, the young prince was exhausted. He had worked in the cellars beneath his father's halls until the moon had drifted westward as he had for several weeks in punishment for fighting with Nárvenien.
And he had not slept well the rest of the night. Unconsciously, he shivered.
Legolas could not help his body's reaction to avoid pain and shook uncontrollably with a mixture of cold and fear for the icy wind edged through the cracks of his windows, bringing the closed room to a temperature even he could feel clothed in nothing but his leggings.
"You leave me no choice, Legolas," Ainan said as he produced several strips of linen that he had torn the sheets into. With these he curbed Legolas' struggles. The restraints were tight and often left red marks for hours but the prince's long sleeves covered them as Ainan well knew.
Legolas shut his eyes as he saw his uncle lift the familiar and terrible rod from the corner. The first blow sent a shockwave of pain tingling up his spine but he managed to bite his tongue to keep a sound from escaping his lips.
He was being childish and accepted the pain as he clenched his teeth against it. He deserved this pain, he thought. His uncle would not treat him so cruelly unless he had earned it somehow. Legolas had told himself this so many times over the years that he firmly believed it now. However, that did not make the pain any easier to bear.
He tried to block it out, to think of the times he spent with his friends- laughing as they raced through the forest, the peaceful days that he could scarcely remember anymore when he had spent the warm afternoon sitting under the shade in the garden reading. It seemed a part of another lifetime entirely.
Legolas forced down the pain and humiliation and fear into a small, hard lump and swallowed it, locking it tightly away in his heart.
The beating hurt worse this time- and lasted longer. Tears had long since begun running down the young prince's face and into his pillow by the time his uncle tired.
With a terse toss, Ainan hurled the rod into the corner. Rounding the edge of the bed, he lifted his nephew by his hair and ran a slender finger along the child's tearstained face.
"Another lesson you have failed, Legolas," he said quietly, his tone deeply disgusted. Legolas cast his eyes to the torn and filthy sheets.
"I know. I'm sorry, Vedhir," he murmured, ashamed. Ainan shook him and Legolas winced at the pain wrenching through his skull.
"You should be, boy. You are a prince- and yet here you lie before me- too weak and stupid to control your own emotions!"
Fearing another beating, Legolas quickly composed his face, drawing in a few deep, shaky breaths until his heart slowed a little. He wiped his eyes with the backs of his hands and straightened his shoulders.
Ainan nodded approvingly.
"Much better." He ruffled the young prince's hair with a soft laugh before gliding out of the room and shutting the door with a snap behind him.
"Sweet dreams, tôrion."
Unable to sleep but too shaken with fear and pain to rise, Legolas lay on his stomach, breathing heavily into his pillow as he forced the tears away and turned his face towards the grey light that was slowly seeping through his dark room.
"Legolas?"
"I'm sorry?" Legolas' head came up sharply at the sound of the other's voice. "What did you say?" Haldir smiled gently at the young elf's preoccupation.
"I asked if perhaps you would like to go for a walk before your lessons start," Haldir suggested. Legolas nodded fervently, eager to take his mind off his memories.
The younger elf had quickly grown to like the tall elf from Lothlórien who told him many tales of glory and battle and adventures outside the vast forest. But still, there lingered a fear and distrust of 'these foreigners' as he had heard his uncle refer to them.
The two walked towards the garden, the most beautiful part of the palace- even on a chill, fall day. Haldir inhaled deeply of the fresh fragrances that drifted on the wind from the mountains as the grass, rimmed with frost, crunched beneath their light footfalls.
The young elf trailed at the elder's heels, always at least a step or two behind, as though he were a servant. Haldir would beckon him closer but only reluctantly would he come and always the young elf would drift back to his former position with downcast eyes.
"It is difficult to speak with you, Legolas, if my back is always to you," Haldir said softly, craning his neck over his shoulder to look at the young prince. Legolas looked up guiltily.
"I-I'm sorry, my lord. I didn't mean to be rude," he said, abruptly trotting up beside the older elf, his eyes large and almost- frightened? Haldir shook such thoughts out of his head and smiled which was faintly returned.
"As I told you before, young prince, I am no lord. Please, call me Haldir." Legolas nodded obediently.
His eyes drifted to outside the path towards the red roses that grew even in the chill of winter and stopped. Haldir halted beside him, frowning in puzzlement. He glanced at Legolas and followed the young prince's gaze. He immediately looked away, embarrassed.
In the remotest corner of the garden under the overhanging willow trees that clung stubbornly near the black river entwining through the palace itself, two elves stood- one male, the other female. The intruders watched for an uncomfortable moment as the lovers shared a soft kiss.
Legolas recognized Kirar but the woman was unfamiliar to him. Her clothes, however, denoted her rank as a servant in the palace more than likely though Legolas had never seen her before.
"We should not have seen this," he said quietly, edging away. Haldir nodded once and fell into step beside him.
Such a love between servants and soldiers was often discouraged lest it compromise the position of either. Legolas wondered for a moment if he should say something to his father but decided against it. It was not his place.
Legolas was merely relieved to be outside. He had been granted the morning free for his leisure although he would have Telas' lessons to attend in the afternoon. He had promised the older elf he would be there so, despite his uncle's ministrations, he rose each morning and cleaned himself up as best he could before joining the classes. He had yet to be late and was proud of himself for that fact.
Haldir sensed the younger elf's distraction and waited patiently for him to sort through it as the two walked for a while in companionable silence.
"You are fortunate to live here without brother or sister," he remarked after a moment. Legolas shrugged noncommittally. He often wished for a brother or sister even if that meant only that Ainan's attention would occasionally be elsewhere.
His father and mother were often away- doing whatever it was they did to run the kingdom. Legolas did not know or understand but he knew loneliness… and fear. After the 'training sessions' with his uncle, Legolas could not stand to stay in the same room alone with him and avoided him as much as possible so as not to incur his wrath further.
The King and Queen surmised their son's behavior to be but reticence.
"Give your uncle a chance, ion-nin," Anariel entreated as Legolas hurriedly looked away when Ainan passed by.
"He means well."
Legolas mutely shook his head. If only she knew… But Ainan had warned him time and time again not to worry his mother with such trivialities. It would upset her and Legolas had no intention of causing his mother worry for something as picayune as his uncle's discipline.
"You are very distracted today, Legolas," Haldir observed quietly. The young prince looked up guiltily,
"I'm sorry." Haldir shook his head, smiling slightly.
They had wandered the length of the gardens and slowly ascended the marble stairs up to the palace. The burnished gold of the sun had faded into ivory as it ascended over the trees.
The vast palace was already awake and bustling, preparing for the day ahead. The two early risers wandered away from the bustle and chattering of the servants and chose a quieter corridor to walk through in companionable silence.
Legolas' head suddenly shot up and he quailed into the shadows behind the statue of the Star Queen. Haldir looked at him in puzzlement then down the hall at the elf striding towards them. The prince shook his head and mouthed soundlessly at him.
"Please, don't say anything. Do not tell him I am here." He knew he would get into dreadful trouble if his uncle caught him but his back still hurt so badly and he finally felt at ease with another adult. He just wanted that peace to last for as long as he could even if it meant disobeying his uncle and incurring further wrath later.
"Who is he?" Haldir asked out of the side of his mouth. Legolas merely shook his head.
I will be in trouble if he finds me Legolas whispered quietly. Haldir turned his head so he could see the younger elf then shot him a quick, reassuring smile as the boy shot a fearful look up at him. The many times he had escaped his tutors as well! Smiling, Haldir turned his attention back towards the window they had been peering out of.
"You shall not be betrayed by me, young prince."
It seemed for a moment, that Ainan would walk on past. But scarcely had he passed the statue of Varda than he halted, his gaze flickering to the elf at the window.
Haldir made no sign that he had seen Ainan approaching but turned politely as the elf cleared his throat. He bowed his head slightly to the Queen's brother.
"How can I be of service to you, lord?" he asked. Ainan smiled.
"I am searching for my nephew- Legolas. Have you yet spoken with him today?" Haldir shook his head faithfully.
"I have seen him not, hir-nin," Haldir replied. For a long moment, Ainan stared hard at him as though gauging whether the elf spoke truth or not. What his consensus was, Haldir never knew for Ainan's face was completely unreadable.
Legolas shut his eyes and tried to scrunch himself as far as possible into the shadows behind the statue of Lady Elbereth. For a breathless minute, he was sure his uncle had seen him as his gaze flickered over the marble statue but Ainan looked away again and fixed his gaze on the elf captain who stared back at him expressionlessly. The Regent pasted an obviously forced smile on his face and nodded to the elf captain.
"Do let me know when you see him, Commander. I wish to speak with him as soon as possible." Haldir nodded noncommittally and Legolas breathed a sigh of relief as Ainan disappeared down the corridor.
"He is the Regent, is he not? Ainan?" Haldir asked, his eyes narrowing as he scrutinized the retreating elf's back. He remembered the elf he had met when he had first arrived. Legolas merely nodded his head and said nothing more.
His blue gaze drifted out towards the high sun and his face paled slightly.
"Oh, no! I'm late!" he moaned. With a quick goodbye, the young prince shot off down the hall. Haldir smiled slightly before he realized that he, too, was late for his own meeting with the King and, with as much dignity as he could, raced off down the hall.
